416 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



detected from its flavor. A member 

 stated that he had honey that had a dis- 

 tinct smart-weed taste. 



Foundation in the Brood-Nest and 

 the Sections. 



"Is it more profitable to use whole 

 sheets of foundation or only parts, in 

 either brood-nest or sections ?" 



Mr. B. W. Peck was called on to an- 

 swer the question. He would use full 

 sheets in both the brood-nest and sec- 

 tions. Had tried both methods. In 

 using full sheets in the sections, he in- 

 variably gets sections filled out better 

 all around the edge, which is not the 

 case where only starters are used ; and 

 where full sheets are used, there is no 

 trouble with the queen going up into the 

 sections. The cause of this is, that 

 where only a strip of foundation is used, 

 the bees will almost always build drone- 

 comb, and the queen goes up and lays, 

 and the result is drones instead of 

 honey. He also finds, since using whole 

 sheets of foundation, that he does not 

 have so many unfinished sections, for 

 bees work better where full sheets are 

 used. He would use a section or two 

 with comb in, to induce bees to enter the 

 sections. 



It was also advocated that it was 

 cheaper to use foundation because it 

 takes honey to make wax. 



" Is wax a voluntary secretion ?" Mr. 

 Webster said that when bees have 

 plenty of honey, they will secrete wax 

 without effort. He had filled a whole 

 hive with comb, and in three days the 

 bees all swarmed out. 



C. H. Coon had observed wax scales 

 on the bottom-board of the hive, which 

 bees had no use for. He uses a few 

 empty combs in the center when hivinji: 

 a swarm, which gives the bees room to 

 store the honey they bring with them, 

 from the parent hive. In the balance 

 of the frames he uses only starters of 

 foundation, which gives the bees a 

 chance to use the wax that they volun- 

 tarily secrete. When using all founda- 

 tion in the brood-nest it will break down 

 unless wired to it. By wiring it, he has 

 been able to use a light weight founda- 

 tion, so the diflferencc paid for the 

 trouble in wiring. 



Mr. Mason finds where full sheets of 

 foundation are used, the wax secretions 

 are much less. Bees secrete very little 

 wax when gathering honey. 



Mr. Freeman sometimes uses full 

 sheets, and sometimes only a third of a 

 sheet. He could never see any differ- 

 ence. A great deal depends upon the 

 season. 



Cardinal Points in Bee-Keeping. 



Mr. J. B. Hains, of Bedford, O., was 

 invited to read an essay on "The cardi- 

 nal points in bee-keeping," but was un- 

 able to attend on account of sickness. 

 He sent the essay, which was read by 

 the Secretary, of which the following is 

 a summary : 



The "cardinal points" are many. 

 Webster speaks of four cardinal points, 

 while he gives seventy cardinals as com- 

 posing the sacred college of the church 

 of Eome. Now I am not sure that there 

 are not as many as seventy cardinal 

 points in bee-keeping. I will consider 

 what I think are the four principal or 

 cardinal points in bee-keeping. 



First, adaptability of the bee-keeper 

 to his business ; second, suitable loca- 

 tion ; third, bees — the best strain ob- 

 tainable in numbers suited to the loca- 

 tion ; fourth, hives which secure com- 

 fort to the bees, and convenience and 

 economy to the bee-keeper. To these 

 may be added the four cardinal virtues 

 — temperance, fortitude, prudence and 

 justice. , 



Temperance gives one the mastery 

 over self, and qualifies one to master 

 his profession. Fortitude is that steady 

 purpose of the mind that enables him to 

 meet the objectionable points of the 

 business — the bee-stings, disappoint- 

 ments, losses by wintering, etc. 



Prudence influences him to attend to 

 the wants of the bees and apiary, cut 

 down expenses to the lowest point con- 

 sistent with successful management, at 

 the same time investing such sums as 

 promise remunerative results ; such as 

 securing serviceable hives, tin-roofed 

 and painted, foundation, section-cases, 

 extracting tools, etc. Everything pro- 

 vided and ready for use before they are 

 needed. 



Justice may be said to be the golden 

 mean between parsimoniousness and ex- 

 travagance, eitlaer of which, controlling 

 the bee-keeper, ends only in loss and 

 disappointment. By it he is induced to 

 be just to his bees, supplying their every 

 want at the right time, and to see to it 

 that they are not impoverished. Should 

 they lack stores for Winter, supply them 

 with a generous amount of food early 

 enough so they may ripen and seal it 

 for Winter, regarding it not as a gift, 

 but as the interest on the debt tie owes 

 them. Yes, lend thorn a few pounds of 

 sugar syrup, and you will be paid back 

 tenfold, besides having the satisfaction 

 of having performed a humane act. 



The really just man cannot fail to 

 secure his reward if his actions are 



